Gill (unit)

For other uses of "Gill", see Gill (disambiguation).
Look up gill in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Copper gill measuring jugs

The gill (pronounced[1] i/ˈdʒɪl/) is a unit of measurement for volume equal to a quarter of a pint.[2] It is no longer in common use, except in regard to the volume of alcoholic spirits measures.

Imperial gill
1 imperial gill ≡ 5 imperial fluid ounces
≡ 142.0653125 ml[3]
≈ 142 ml
≈ 1.2 US gills
United States customary gill
64oz = 1⁄2 gallon
32oz = 1 quart
16oz = 1 pint
8oz = 1 cup
4oz = 1 gill
2oz =
1oz = 1 ounce
1⁄2 oz = 1 tablespoon
1⁄4 oz =
1⁄8 oz = 1 dram

In Great Britain, the standard single measure of spirits in a pub was 1⁄6 gill (23.7 ml) in England, and 1⁄5 gill (28.4 ml) in Scotland; after metrication this was replaced by either 25 or 35 ml (0.176- or 0.246-gill) measures (the owner or holder in his stead of the public-house may choose which one to serve). The 1⁄4 gill was previously the most common measure in Scotland, and still remains as the standard measure in pubs in Ireland. In southern England, it is also called a noggin. In northern England, however, the large noggin is used, which is two gills. In some areas, a gill came to mean half a pint for both beer and milk.[4]

In Ireland, the standard spirit measure was historically 1⁄4 gill. In the Republic of Ireland, it still retains this value, though it is now legally specified in metric units as 35.5 ml.

A convenient method to remember the conversion from gill to litres is that 1 imperial gill = π - 3 litres, accurate to 3 d.p.

There are occasional references to a gill in popular culture, such as in the cumulative song "The Barley Mow".[5] In L. Frank Baum's "The Patchwork Girl of Oz" one of the ingredients required for a magic spell is a gill of water from a dark well. In chapter 19 the obscure unit is used for humor including a pun with Jack and Jill, which also involved a well. It is also referenced in FX's animated cartoon "Archer", in both Episodes "Blood Test" (Season 2, Episode 3). [6] and "Heart of Archness: Part Three" (Season 3, Episode 3). [7] The word also appeared in a 2013 edition of the BBC TV programme QI, when it was mispronounced by show host Stephen Fry with a hard 'g' sound.


Notes

  1. ↑ Not i/ˈɡɪl/ as in a fish's gill
  2. ↑ This was the legal definition although in some areas a gill of milk or beer is referred to as a half-pint; elsewhere a gill was the 1⁄3 pint of milk given free to school children.
  3. ↑ after 1985 in the UK, c. 1964 in Canada
  4. ↑ International Dictionary of Food and Cooking by Charles Gordon Sinclair, ISBN 1-57958-057-2, published by Taylor & Francis, 1998
  5. ↑ "Good Luck to the Barley Mow, lyrics and audio". Chivalry.com. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  6. ↑ Archer: "Blood Test" · TV Club · The A.V. Club
  7. ↑ Archer: “Heart Of Archness, Part Three” · TV Club · The A.V. Club